Chateau Calon Segur 2021

Weinwisser: "81 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 11 % Cabernet Franc, 7 % Merlot, 1 % Petit Verdot, 12.9 Vol.-%, 36 hl/ha, pH 3.65, 20 Monate in 100% neuen Barriques. Subtiles Bouquet, frisch gepflückte schwarze Johannisbeere, zarte Fliedernote und Holundergelee, dahinter heller Tabak, tiefschürfende Terroirwürze und Estragon. Am komplexen Gaumen mit seidiger Textur, reifem Extrakt, engmaschigem Tanningerüst, magischer Rasse, edler Salznote und geradlinigem Körper. Im gebündelten Finale wetzt der St. Estèphe (kurz) seine Krallen, Wildkirsche, Schlehengelee und dunkle Mineralik, der Wein ruht in sich und benötigt Zeit. Grandiose Leistung – back to Classic!"

Neal Martin: "The 2021 Calon Ségur was cropped at 36hL/ha and aged entirely in new oak for a planned 20 months. This year, the gap between the Grand Vin and the Marquis is blatantly obvious, to the extent that they are practically different wines, which is how Vincent Millet and his team treat them. The Cabernet is firmly in the driving seat here, with detailed, graphite-infused black fruit and a background florality that comes through with aeration. The medium-bodied palate displays very fine tannins, superb acidity (pH 3.65) and impressive harmony. This has exemplary build in the mouth, fine weight on the finish and a persistent aftertaste. An outstanding Calon-Ségur, elevated by the risks taken in de-leafing in June and waiting to pick. Bravo. 12.9% alcohol"

Wine Advocate: "A brilliant effort that will delight Médoc purists, the 2021 Calon-Ségur wafts from the glass with aromas of rose petals, wild berries, plums, Indian spices, woodsmoke and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and seamless, it's deep and lively, with beautifully ripe tannins and an exquisitely balanced profile. In spirit, this blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, 7% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot is reminiscent of the 1996 vintage, though the 2021 won't go through such an extended period of hibernation and will attain a much higher peak of quality. It attained 12.9% alcohol without any chaptalization, saignée or osmosis. Tasted twice."

Dunnuck: "The Grand Vin 2021 Château Calon Ségur is one heck of a winner in the vintage and is 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, and the rest Merlot and Petit Verdot. Hitting 12.9% alcohol, its deep purple hue is followed by a gorgeous bouquet of cassis, violets, ripe darker raspberries, and spring flowers. It's elegant and has a great mid-palate, ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish. It's unquestionably one of the gems from the Médoc and will round into form with 3-5 years of bottle age and, I suspect, be long-lived."

Galloni: "The 2021 Calon Ségur is a gorgeous wine that is going to need a number of years to fully come into its own. Aromatic, punchy and croquant, as the French say, the 2021 is a vibrant, mid-weight Calon that will delight readers who enjoy classically built claret. Don't look for the size or opulence of recent vintages. The 2021 is a cool, classy Saint-Estèphe to savor for years and decades to come. I loved it."

Decanter: "A fine Calon Ségur this year with 92% Cabernet, the highest in the blend since the 2009 vintage. This is rich and dark with a spiced nose full of black chocolate and black pepper edged by soft floral notes. Graceful and refined on the palate bursting with freshness and such integrated tannins. Smooth but on the mineral edge so you get that hint of austerity/salinity together with the acidity giving this some sharpness and high definition. It's got concentration and depth but at the moment it's so linear and detailed in its precision that it's coming across very straight and taut. Tannins have some grpi and this has a nice weight on the Mid-palate leading into a long finish. I adore the sweet salty tang at the end. I'm looking forward to tasting this in bottle. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend. 3.65pH. No chaptalisation."

Wine Cellar Insider: "Dark garnet in color, tobacco leaf, spicy currants, dried flowers, and blackberries are found on the nose. Medium-bodied, fresh, vibrant, and lifted, the fruit is on the elegant, classic side with good sweetness and should be relatively precocious. The finish delivers a nice, spicy, minty, uplifted endnote. The wine was produced from 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, 7% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot, 12.9% ABV, 3.65 pH. The harvest took place on September 28, finishing on October 13. Drink from 2025-2047."

Suckling: "Polished and perfumed already, with very fine, powdery tannins. So silky. Bright red and black berries here with sandalwood and orange-zest notes. Medium-bodied. Refined. 81% cabernet sauvignon, 11% cabernet franc, 7% merlot and 1% petit verdot."

Falstaff: "Dunkles Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, dezente Ockerrandaufhellung. Feinwürzig, dunkle Beerenfrucht, tabakige Nuancen, schwarze Kirschen, zarte Edelholznote. Straff, rotbeerig, rote Herzkirschen, feine Fruchtsüße, gut integrierte Tannine, lebendiger Säurebogen, zitronig-mineralisch, dezenter Nougattouch im Abgang."

Robinson: "81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, 7% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot. Cask sample. Fine, floral bouquet. Density on attack, the oak a touch present but plentiful tannins that are smooth and honed. Plenty of matière and freshness from beginning to end. Clearly has potential. (JL)"

Perroti-Brown: "The 2021 Calon Segur is deep garnet-purple in color. It sashays out with vibrant notes of wild blueberries, raspberry coulis, and cassis followed by hints of bay leaves, camphor, and cedar. Light-bodied, the palate is delicately styled with loads of zip lifting the finely packed fruit, finishing long and fragrant. The blend is 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, 7% Merlot, and 1% Petit Verdot."